Top Cop - September 2013The Buena Park Police Department recognizes our officers monthly who go above and beyond the call of duty in their service to the community.

TOP COPS - SEPTEMBER 2013

CORPORAL MANUEL MARTINEZ & OFFICER BRET CARTER

On September 2, 2013, Corporal Manuel Martinez and Officer Bret Carter were dispatched to Knott’s Berry Farm’s Soak City regarding two subjects being detained by Knott’s undercover security for taking items out of guests’ carry-bags that were left unattended as they went to enjoy themselves in the water at Soak City.

Officers spoke with a witness and also four victims. The witness said she observed a subject take unattended bags, go behind a tree, and then return the bags that appeared to be empty. Upon making contact with the subjects, officers searched their backpacks, but could not locate any stolen property. It was then learned that one subject had a vehicle parked in a handicapped parking space in front of Soak City, but he adamantly refused to allow the officers to search his vehicle. Based on the information available at the time, it looked as though officers were going to have to allow the subjects to go and escorted them to the vehicle parked in the handicapped parking space.

At the vehicle, Corporal Martinez obtained information from one of the subjects that he may be misusing the handicapped parking placard. Further investigation revealed that the placard did not belong to him and should have been returned to the rightful owner. He was arrested for misappropriation of property. Due to the arrest, the vehicle was towed and an inventory of the car turned up all of the stolen property taken from all four victims, which included cell phones, car keys, a Nook tablet, credit cards, and cash.

Because of the officers’ tenacity to do right by the victims, they were able to recover all of the stolen property and return it to the owners.